“Favourite game meme, but different” (Full-Fledged Thoughts Edition)
There’s this popular trend in the gaming community to show everyone your favourite games on an easily digestible format: a bunch of categories, you add the game that fits on each. This one claims to be “different” because it presents generally different categories than others. I’ve made my own, and since the explanations for each category took me an hour to write and clocked in at almost 2000 words, I thought I might as well post it all here. Here I go, fully expecting to be dragged online for my hot takes:
Favourite game of all time: NieR:Automata
I could go on long-winded essays about how much this game did for me, as I’ve probably already did. So you get the short version: N:A is a tightly-packed deal, with perfectly fine-tuned combat, a meaningful and deep story, and well-written character dynamics. Pity not many people dwell on the anti-racist and anti-military tones of the story (and I’ll someday finish my piece on it… someday).
Best story: Yakuza 0
0 is considered far and wide one of the best, if not the best, entry in the Yakuza series. The story is very much to thank for that: boasting a deep understanding of the yakuza underworld and its twisted sense of morals, it explores the many branching paths one could take — from Kiryu’s idealised heroism to Awano’s unashamed hedonism, to Nishitani’s self-aggrandising violence, to Majima’s impending freak-out. It’s still got a ways to go on the female character writing, though — but that’s pretty much expected of a male-centric setting.
Favourite art style: Monument Valley
Come on, just look. It’s simple yet striking, easy on the eyes yet powerful. I’m not good at talking about art… just look, man!
“I’ll finish it someday”: Disco Elysium
I’ve heard the rave reviews, but my mental state isn’t appropriate, and I already noticed that on the almost oddly intimate corpse-examining scene, early in the game. Someday I’ll be ready. Probably.
Big personal impact: Portal 2
I dare say Portal 2 was one of my gateway drugs into the medium — I’m a late bloomer, only really started to pay attention to games in around 2016. And what a gateway drug it was: though I admittedly had to rely on tutorials for an embarrassing number of stages (sorry…), that game had a younger me sparkling with joy. It also taught me to never trust the British.
Best combat: Hades
Baby’s first roguelike, and I’m the said baby. So many hours poured into Hades were due to that quick, instant-gratification, masterfully forged combat. For one, I usually avoid long-range weapons, but my stats tell me my most used weapon on my escapes was precisely the bow (gotta love the perfect shot feature). I did get pretty burnt out after days on end of playing it, but it was always so much fun! (I never beat the final boss, though. I did get to them, but I got crushed.)
You like, but everyone hates: Pokémon Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon
They’re my favourite Pokémon titles, and they have been since release — but the Pokémon fanbase is notorious for complaining about everything that’s thrown to them, and US/UM were no exception. And whenever they decide to act like they’ve always loved them when the nostalgia goggles start to see that far: I was there! I was there when you said Hau was too annoying because he was friendly! I was there when you complained about the new mechanics! I was there when you trashed Popplio and Brionne before Primarina was released! I! Was! There!!!… Sorry.
You hate, but everyone likes: Persona 4 Golden
The problem with P4G is that it hasn’t aged as well as people make it out to. Everyone that ever recommended this game to me made it look like “Yosuke is homophobic” was a recurring fanbase joke, wittingly or not. And then he actually implied to the one canon gay character (I’m not even going to open the Naoto can of worms don’t ask me about it I’m tired I’m spent) that he was afraid of being abused by him, and that was it for me. It’s funny how Kanji is my favourite character, yet the game started to go downhill after he joined the party… because no one could treat him beyond AHAHAHA GUYS GET IT HE’S GAY HE KISSES MEN THAT’S SO FUNNY!!!! Tiring as shit.
Underrated: Murder By Numbers
It’s niche, I get it — you won’t like it at all if you don’t like picross or murder mysteries. But if you like at least one of the two and aren’t familiar with the other please God give this game a chance I’m begging you. It’s so cheap. Go buy it. It’s on Switch and PC and also Google Stadia if you dare own that. Please.
Overrated: Genshin Impact
The word “overrated” is full of negative connotations these days, but here it just means “mmmmyeah it doesn’t do all that for me”. I’ve more than once referred to Genshin as a “junk food game”: it ain’t all that, it doesn’t have much substance, the story and characters don’t hook me as much as they’ve done other people — but man, if it isn’t fun. Again, I don’t hate it or anything. I’m just not as passionate about it as others are.
“Why do I like this?”: Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair
God, Danganronpa sucks. The writing very often can’t strike an appropriate balance between self-aware dragging and actual seriousness. The characters are meant to be funny stereotypes, and that always fails when said stereotypes are based off minorities (my dearest Akane, for one… all the racism around her, in and out of the game, dear Lord…). The setting and cast are dripping with wasted potential. So why am I so obsessed with it?! It’s like an acquaintance I actively dislike, but see myself having fun with sometimes. Like a sloppily built house with pretty bricks that I want to take for myself and make new things out of. The one true meaning of “guilty pleasure” is this series, and DR2 is, to quote Scott the Woz, my “least favourite favourite” game.
Game you always come back to: BanG Dream! Girls Band Party! (AKA Bandori)
I’ve been playing Bandori almost every day for a year now, and it’s just comfortable. It’s been fun to see my progressing skills (and very unfun to find out that it doesn’t make me as good at all the other rhythm games… man), and it is surprisingly well-written for a waifu-bait (God I hate this word) anime thingy. Just a fun time! Stan Afterglow, everybody!
That atmosphere…: Undertale
Just play Undertale if you haven’t already. You’ll get it.
Bad day cure: The Jackbox Party Pack 4
I pick 4 specifically because it includes my favourite games (namely Fibbage Enough About You and Survive the Internet). It’s just such an effective pick-me-up if me and my friends have had a bad day. Also the “Jackbox needs to be offensive” chumps have clearly never stepped foot in the game I played where the most voted answer was “volley ball” with a picture of a volleyball net.
Favourite protagonist: Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney
The first game was my choice because it’s his introduction to the world. Phoenix just has that admirable young idealistic shine to him (no spoilers please I’m yet to finish AA3), and the trilogy shows this in spades. I don’t really have a lot to say… I just love Phoenix.
After-work relaxation: Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Cliché, yeah, I know. But true! I have over 400 hours on ACNH of purely just vibing (and also stressing over catching scorpions, admittedly), and the recent 2.0 update and Happy Home Paradise DLC brought it all to new heights. It’s just an all-around comfy game, and millions of Switch owners seem to agree with me.
Biggest letdown: Astral Chain
Yeah. Yeah, I know. My hack-and-slash nut friends have already yelled at me for hours on end over this one. And the combat is good, it is! It’s just that the story is so sloppy and disposable and desperate to have you form any emotional hook to one-note characters that it brought the whole experience down for me. (Also that ridiculous difficulty spike in the final boss but that’s something else entirely.)
“Back in the day” game: République
Another one of my gateway drugs to gaming was this quaint little episodic mobile game. I played it on my mom’s work iPad as a tween raised on Hunger Games type dystopia, and it really awakened something in me. The fourth episode is absurd, and the overall ending is incredibly underwhelming, but here, I think the road was so good I can pardon the disappointing destination.
“Not the best, but having fun”: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Exhaustively lauded as one of the best, I think it was… OK. The combat wasn’t that much fun, the wear and tear mechanics were unnecessary, I never actually liked Gwent I’m sorry: but I think all of the flaws can be pardoned one way or another. The story really sticks up for this game when it needs the most, and the substantial character writing helps. It’s a very emotionally investing narrative, even if the rest of the game doesn’t help its case very much. Playing Geralt as a good-hearted man, despite all the prejudice he faces, also helped a ton.
Criminally overlooked: Prey (2017)
I just think Prey is neat, I think you should play Prey, give Prey a shot, Prey is on Game Pass, the game design is amazing, you can do anything the way you want, there’s gay people in space, Prey is so good, Prey is amazing, play Prey,
Depressing game: The Sims 4
I was obsessed with Sims 3 as a kid, and I still remember how ready people were to throw it in the trash as soon as 4 released because “it’s a buggy mess, it’s so lifeless, there’s no one anywhere ever” etc. etc. And now corporate greed ran 4 into the ground, and I see those same people go apologise to 3. I’m not mad at them — I’m mad at EA. Thanks for nothing, EA.
Favourite active franchise: Pokémon
Despite everything, I really do love Pokémon. Not the fanbase though fuck those guys.
Indie pick: Yuppie Psycho
I haven’t actually finished it just yet, but what I’ve seen so far is meaty and amazing. Just good horror. Also I have a crush on Malone if you’re free at 3 please ma’am here’s my numb-
“Not really my thing, but…”: Devotion
Horror media in general just isn’t for me, but Devotion really struck gold. Pearl-clutching suspense, paired with an important narrative about fatherhood, abusive cults, and fame. Massive content warning for body mutilation, though — I couldn’t even bear to watch, and the auditory experience alone was already very uncomfortable.
